Speaking during the inauguration of the Emirates Indonesia Cardiology Hospital in Surakarta, Central Java, on Wednesday, he emphasized the urgency of expanding both medical facilities and the health workforce.
"Equally important is to produce more medical workers, including dentists, nurses, and paramedics; and to this end, we aim to shoot up the number of relevant educational facilities," Prabowo remarked, as observed online from Jakarta.
The president noted that the plan to add 30 medical faculties was recommended by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, adding that implementing the proposal is crucial to strengthen the quantity and quality of Indonesia’s health-sector talent.
He also called on existing medical faculties to increase their student intake to support the national agenda of expanding the medical workforce.
Prabowo added that the government will also formulate policies to broaden access to quality medical education for all citizens, mentioning the possibility of expanding scholarships, including full-ride schemes for medical, nursing, and paramedical education.
He stressed that these initiatives are part of a long-term strategy to improve the quality of health services and ensure the even distribution of competent medical workers across Indonesia’s regions.
In addition, Prabowo instructed Minister Sadikin to build 66 new hospitals with international standards, similar to the newly inaugurated Emirates Indonesia Cardiology Hospital.
The president first announced the plan to establish 30 medical faculties in Jakarta on August 26, noting that broader expansion in the education sector is essential to address Indonesia’s deficit of more than 140 thousand doctors.
At a plenary cabinet meeting in Jakarta on October 20, he unveiled his plan to prioritize medical students as recipients of scholarships from the Finance Ministry’s Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), aiming to narrow the gap.
He also sought international support, expressing his eagerness to send more Indonesians to pursue medical and dental studies in New Zealand during a meeting with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in South Korea on October 31.
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Translator: Maria C, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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